Food grinder



Jan. 7, 1936.

L. J. USTAA Foon GRINDER Filed July 2, 1954 Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITEDYSTATI-ss PATENT OFFICE N 2,027,281 FooD GRINDER f Louis Lista MountShasta, Calif.

Application July 2, 1934, Serial No. 733,483

v 2 claims. (c1. 14e- 182) This invention relates to food grinders andits general object is to provide a grinder that includes automaticfeeding means for the food hopper, which `not only entirely eliminatesdanger of injury to the operator, but it feeds the matter to be groundin a uniform manner, which of course facilitates easy operation andexpeditious grinding or crushing action. 4

Another object of the invention is to provide 1o a food grinder'of thecharacter set forth, that .is simple in construction, inexpensive tomanufacture and extremelyeicient in use and service. This invention alsoconsists in certain other features of construction and in thecombination l5 and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing andspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which: Figure 1is a view of my grinder with parts in side elevation and in section andillustrates the feeding plunger fully extended within the hopper.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 2--2 of Figurel, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the plunger arranged inits outermost position. Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximatelyon line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4--4 of Figure1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional viewtaken approximately on line 5 5 of Figure'2,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring tothe drawing in detail, the refer- "10 ence numeral Iindicates the body of my grinder which as shown is cylindrical information and is supported horizontally through the instrumentality of abracket 2 that includes a clamping means for securing the device to atable top or the like as clearly shown in Figure l. The clamping meansis provided with a jaw 3 having a thumb screw 4 cooperating therewith toset up a clamping engagement as will be apparent.

The body has arranged therein the usual spiral conveyor means 5 fordisposing the matter to be ground or crushed through a grinding plate,not shown. The means 5 is of course removable and is rotated through theinstrumentality of a handle 6.

Formed with a d rising from the body I is a Ais preferably ofcylindrical formation,

hopper 1 which is substantially long or relatively high in order toaccommodate a maximum amount of matterto be ground, and the hopper andhas i, ribs 8 arranged interiorly thereof and upon dia- 5 metricallyopposite sides, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

,The ribsextend for the entire height of the hopper andact'as guidemeans for a plunger Il, the latter having recesses arranged indiametrical- 10 ly opposite sides thereof to receive the ribs, and inorder to limit the downward movement of the plunger within the hopper Iprovide an annular ange I0 formed with the hopper at its juncture withthe body, as best shown inv Figure l. The l5 plunger slidably ts thehopper and has a rounded recess II arranged in its lower surface so thatthe plunger can be disposed in close association with the means 5.

Formed with and rising from the plunger 9 is a 20 tube IZVWithin whichis disposed a coil spring I3, and telescopically mounted on the tube I2is a tube I4 having a closed upper end, and which cooperates with thetube I2 to provide a housing for the spring, the latter having its uppercon- 25 volution engaging the closed upper end of the tube I4, while itslower convolution engages the top of the plunger 9.

Bridging the upper end of the hopper 'l and removably secured withrespect thereto through the medium of headed screw bolts I5 is a crossbar I6 which is provided with key hole shape openings I1 adjacent to itsends to receive the screw bolts I5, to facilitate the easyV removal ofthe cross bar as will be apparent. 35

Loosely mounted on the upper end of the cross bar I6 through the mediumof rivets extending through` one end portion thereof, as best shown inFigure 2, is what may be termed a clamping plate I8 that has itsopposite end free and dis- V40 posed between the last mentioned endportion and the cross bar respectively is a leaf spring I9 that normallyholds the clamping plate against the tube I4 for a purpose which will bepresently apparent, it being noted that both the cross 45 bar andclamping plate are provided with registering openings for the passage ofthe plunger rod therethrough, the plunger rod including the tubes I2 andI4 and the coil spring I3.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will beobvious that I have provided a food grinder that includes an automaticfeeding means for the hopper thereof, and while I have shown the hopperas being formed integral with the body l, I want it understood that the55 hopper can be in the form of an attachment to be secured to foodgrinders now in general use, and any suitable means may be employed forthat purpose.

In the use of my device, the matter to be ground is inserted within thehopper 'I, the plunger and its associated parts including the cross barand clamping plate are then disposed in operative position, as shown inFigure 2, and it will be seen that the clamping plate I8 will hold thetube I4 against downward movement, but the spring I3 will urge theplunger downwardly against the matter to be ground, for disposing thelatter within the means 5. As the plunger travels downwardly, the springpressure can be retained uniform merely by pushing the tube I4 whichwill be retained in any of its adjusted positions through theinstrumentality of the clamping plate I 8.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of my invention willbe readily apparent.

I desire itrto be understood that I may make changes in the constructionand in the combination .and arrangement of the several parts, providedthat such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a food grinder, matic feeding means for a hopper therefor,autosaid hopper and including a plunger, guiding means for said plunger,a tube secured to and rising from said plunger, a tube having a closedupper end and telescopica]- ly mounted on the tube first mentioned, aspring arranged in the tube and engageable with the plunger and theclosed upper end respectively, a cross bar detachably secured to theupper end of the hopper, and a clamping plate engageable with theoutermost tube and together with the cross bar being provided withregistering openings for the passage of the tubes therethrough.

2. In a food grinder, a hopper therefor, a. plunger mounted to travel insaid hopper, means to limit the downward of the plunger, a tube securedto and rising from the plunger, a tube having a closed upper end andtelscopically mounted on the tube rst mentioned, a coil spring arrangedin the tubes with the lower convolution engageable with the plunger andits upper convolution engageable with the closed upper end, a cross bardetachably secured to and bridging the upper end of the hopper, aclamping plate having one end loosely secured to the cross plate and itsopposite end free, said cross bar and clamping plate having registeringopenings therein for the passage of the tubes, and spring means forurging the clamping plate in engagement with the outer tube tol hold thelatter at various adjusted positions.

LOUIS J. LISTA.

